Nursing assessments evaluate the condition of the heart.
Cardiac nursing is a specialty area that involves caring for patients suffering from cardiac conditions. According to the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, nurses play a leading role in identifying and implementing cardiovascular risk reduction strategies using various nursing skills and techniques. A cardiac nurse performs assessments by evaluating the condition and performance of the heart and circulatory system. There are important techniques to follow for an accurate nursing assessment.
Evaluation
The heart performs many cardiac functions, and abnormalities in function produce symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness and heart palpitations. Inspect the patient for symptoms of cardiac discomfort and ask if he is experiencing any cardiac or respiratory symptoms. Watch for nonverbal clues, such as excessive perspiration, hand gestures and facial expressions of discomfort or pain. Use a pain scale, from one to 10, to help the patient describe the level of pain he is feeling.
Blood Pressure
Blood pressure remains a consistent risk factor for cardiac disease. Blood pressure readings indicate how much pressure is applied to the walls of the arteries when transporting blood throughout the body. The top systolic number represents the amount of peak pressure when the heart is beating at full capacity. The bottom diastolic number represents the amount of pressure for the heart at rest. According to Drugs.com, systolic blood pressure readings should be less than 130 and diastolic readings should be less than 85. Monitor the patient for signs of high blood pressure, defined as systolic readings above 140 and diastolic readings above 90. People often report no symptoms with hypertension, so blood pressure readings are an important part of cardiac assessment.
Vital Signs
Vital signs are an important cardiac nursing assessment technique and provide an overall picture of the person's health. These appraisals include heart rate, breathing rate and body temperature. Assess for cardiac valve abnormalities by listening to the patient's heart sounds with a high-quality stethoscope. Hospitals and physicians' offices have a standard by which they judge vital signs as normal or abnormal. Some circumstances affect vital sign readings, such as medications, age, weight and physical condition. A pacemaker is a small device placed under the skin near the heart that may also affect certain vital signs. If a cardiac patient is diabetic, include regular glucose readings as an important vital sign for the patient.
Specialized Care
Patients with compromised heart function must be monitored closely for changes in condition. Cardiac nurses often perform tests using various diagnostic machines to determine the condition of the heart. Electrocardiograms, or EKGs, are probably the most commonly recognized heart monitoring device. An EKG measures the electrical activity in the heart and can reveal early signs of distress. Mayoclinic.com reports that stress tests reveal how the heart functions under stressful conditions and can reveal heart problems that are unnoticeable otherwise. For this reason, cardiac nurses should monitor cardiac testing results as an important assessment practice.
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